Low profile drill and/or k-wire guide and method for use thereof

ABSTRACT

A drill and/or K-wire guide for receipt in an aperture formed in a bone plate is provided. The drill and/or K-wire guide can include a first end, an opposite second end, an annular outer surface extending between the first end and the second end, a maximum diameter, a maximum thickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, a first opening at the first end, a second opening at the second end, and an aperture extending between the first opening and the second opening. The aperture formed in the drill and/or K-wire guide can be configured for receipt of at least one of a drill and a K-wire therethrough, and the drill and/or K-wire guide can be configured for receipt in the aperture formed in the bone plate.

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/899,272 filed on Sep. 12, 2019; all of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND Field

The present technology generally relates to a drill guide for use with abone plate that can serve as a low profile removable drill guide and/orK-wire guide.

In the field of orthopedic surgery, many devices exist to facilitate therepair of fractures. A bone plate with apertures prepared to receivecorresponding fasteners is an example of such a device. A very commonmode of mating a fastener to a bone plate is via use of a locking screwand a threaded aperture in the bone plate. The locking screw includes athreaded head, and the threaded head is ultimately engaged tocomplimentary threads provided in the threaded aperture of the boneplate. This mode of assembling a locking screw to the bone plate iscalled locking fixation, and it provides an angle stable construct ofthe fastener to the bone plate.

The threads in the apertures of the bone plates require that the lockingscrews be inserted in a prescribed direction to avoid cross-threading.Therefore, it is necessary for the surgeon to use a drill guide prior todrilling into bone. Conventional drill guides can be separate surgicalinstruments that are attached to the bone plates prior to drilling thatserve to guide drills into bone. Other types of conventional drillguides can be preattached to the bone plates. However, these types ofconventional drill guides protrude outwardly from the bone plates. Thedrill is inserted through a conventional drill guide to drill into boneto create a hole that aids in properly orienting a locking screwinserted into the hole relative to the bone plate. After drilling iscomplete, the surgeon removes the drill guide and installs the lockingscrew such that the threads of the threaded head are engaged to thecomplimentary threads of the threaded aperture without cross threading.

Without use of drill guides, the locking screws can sub-optimallycross-thread with the threads provided in the apertures. Suchcross-threading can lead to significantly reduced locking fixationbetween the locking screw and the bone plate. And such cross-threadingcan lead to unwanted protrusion of the threaded head from the apertureof the bone plate. Some of the above-discussed conventional drill guidesare assembled to the bone plates by the surgeon just before drillinginto the bone. This particular step can be difficult considering theenvironment in which the surgeon has to operate. Soft tissue including,but not limited to, tendons and ligaments may interfere and the surfacesmay become slippery or sticky with blood. And other types of theabove-discussed conventional drill guides are pre-assembled to the boneplates, but these conventional drill guides protrude outwardly from thebone plates. Soft tissue also can interfere with such protrusions, andmake placement of the bone plates relative to the bone difficult.

Therefore, there is a need for a device that can be configured to beused with drills and/or K-wires, that can be preattached to a bone plateto reduce or eliminate the need for assembly to the bone plate duringsurgery, and that has a low profile relative to the bone plate toinhibit interference with soft tissue including, but not limited to,tendons and ligaments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure contemplates drill and/or K-wire guide forreceipt in an aperture formed in a bone plate, the drill and/or K-wireguide including a first end, an opposite second end, an annular outersurface extending between the first end and the second end, a maximumdiameter, a maximum thickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, afirst opening at the first end, a second opening at the second end, andan aperture extending between the first opening and the second opening;where the aperture formed in the drill and/or K-wire guide is configuredfor receipt of at least one of a drill and a K-wire therethrough, andwhere the drill and/or K-wire guide is configured for receipt in theaperture formed in the bone plate, the aperture formed in the bone platehaving a maximum diameter and a maximum thickness perpendicular to themaximum diameter, the maximum diameter of the drill and/or K-wire guidecorresponding to the maximum diameter of the aperture formed in the boneplate, and the maximum thickness of the drill and/or K-wire guide beingless than, equal to, or slightly greater than maximum depth of theaperture formed in the bone plate to provide a low profile for the drilland/or K-wire guide.

The present disclosure further contemplates a combination of a boneplate and a drill and/or K-wire guide, the combination including a firstend, an opposite second end, an annular outer surface extending betweenthe first end and the second end, a maximum diameter, a maximumthickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, a first opening at thefirst end, a second opening at the second end, and an aperture extendingbetween the first opening and the second opening; and a bone platehaving an upper surface, a lower surface, and an aperture formed in thebone plate that extends between the upper surface and the lower surface;where the aperture formed in the drill and/or K-wire guide is configuredfor receipt of at least one of a drill and a K-wire therethrough, andwhere the drill and/or K-wire guide is configured for receipt in theaperture formed in the bone plate, the aperture formed in the bone platehaving a maximum diameter and a maximum thickness perpendicular to themaximum diameter, the maximum diameter of the drill and/or K-wire guidecorresponding to the maximum diameter of the aperture formed in the boneplate, and the maximum thickness of the drill and/or K-wire guide beingless than, equal to, or slightly greater than maximum depth of theaperture formed in the bone plate to provide a low profile for the drilland/or K-wire guide.

The present disclosure still further contemplates a combination of abone plate and a drill and/or K-wire guide, the combination including afirst end, an opposite second end, an annular outer surface extendingbetween the first end and the second end, a maximum diameter, a maximumthickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, a first engagementfeature provided on the annular outer surface, a first opening at thefirst end, a second opening at the second end, and an aperture extendingbetween the first opening and the second opening; and a bone platehaving an upper surface, a lower surface, an aperture formed in the boneplate that extends between the upper surface and the lower surface, anda second engagement feature provided in the aperture formed in the boneplate; where the first engagement feature and the second engagementfeature are configured for engagement to one another; where the apertureformed in the drill and/or K-wire guide is configured for receipt of atleast one of a drill and a K-wire therethrough, and where the drilland/or K-wire guide is configured for receipt in the aperture formed inthe bone plate, the aperture formed in the bone plate having a maximumdiameter and a maximum thickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter,the maximum diameter of the drill and/or K-wire guide corresponding tothe maximum diameter of the aperture formed in the bone plate, and themaximum thickness of the drill and/or K-wire guide being less than,equal to, or slightly greater than maximum depth of the aperture formedin the bone plate to provide a low profile for the drill and/or K-wireguide.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent fromreview of the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a top plan view of a drill and/or K-wire guide according toan embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 1B is a top, side perspective view of the drill and/or K-wireguide;

FIG. 1C is a bottom, side perspective view of the drill and/or K-wireguide;

FIG. 2A is a top, side perspective view of multiple drill and/or K-wireguides of FIG. 1A and a K-wire being positioned relative to a boneplate;

FIG. 2B is a side perspective view of multiple drill and/or K-wireguides of FIG. 1A and a K-wire being positioned relative to a boneplate;

FIG. 3A is a first, top, side perspective view of multiple drill and/orK-wire guides of FIG. 1A received in apertures formed in a bone plateand a K-wire inserted through an aperture of one of the drill and/orK-wire guides; and

FIG. 3B is a second, top, side perspective view of multiple drill and/orK-wire guides of FIG. 1A received in apertures formed in a bone plateand a K-wire inserted through an aperture of one of the drill and/orK-wire guides.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed below, a surgical device and method can be used inassisting in the surgical repair and rehabilitation of damaged and orfractured bone. The surgical device according to the present disclosureis intended to assist in the process of fracture fixation and repair byaiding the mating of locking fasteners to a corresponding bone plate.

The device is preferably a drill and/or K-wire guide that can be removedor remain in position after surgery. The below-discussed features of thedrill and/or K-wire guide are not limited for use with particularembodiments thereof, and compatible features are applicable to eachembodiment of the drill and/or K-wire guide.

Embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide can be assembled to one ofmultiple apertures provided in a bone plate, of which the apertures arenormally used for the passage and mating of locking fasteners to thebone plate. And such bone plates and the corresponding locking fastenerscan be used to facilitate fixation and repair of fractured bonefragments.

Embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide can be made of the samematerial as the bone plate, and embodiments of the drill and/or K-wireguide can be made of a disposable material or recyclable material.Furthermore, embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide can be made ofabsorbable material or biomaterial that does not require removal thereoffrom the bone plate after use, and such absorbable material orbiomaterial can be configured to be drillable so that a drill can beinserted through the device after use of a K-wire. Furthermore,embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide also can serve in reducingor eliminating soft tissue irritation if the drill and/or K-wire guideremains in position after surgery.

Embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide have the general appearanceof a manhole on smooth pavement, and when assembled to the bone plate,can have a low profile (e.g., a limited profile or no profile) extendingabove the surface of the bone plate to reduce or eliminate soft tissueirritation. Embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide can be annularshaped (e.g., shaped as a cylinder) with an annular outer surface (e.g.,a cylindrical outer surface) having a maximum diameter and a maximumthickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, and can be engaged to asimilarly shaped aperture in the bone plate. Also, rather than beingcylindrically shaped and having a cylindrical outer surface, embodimentsof the drill and/or K-wire guide can have a conical and/orfrusto-conical outer surface having a maximum diameter and a maximumthickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, and can be engaged to asimilarly shaped aperture in the bone plate.

A central portion of embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide canhave an aperture which itself has a diameter and an orientation, and theaperture can extend through a maximum thickness of the drill and/orK-wire guide. Furthermore, the drill and/or K-wire guide can have amaximum thickness (perpendicular to a maximum diameter thereof) lessthan, equal to, or slightly greater than maximum depths (perpendicularto maximum diameters thereof) of the apertures of the bone plate toprovide a low profile for the drill and/or K-wire guide. Providing thedrill and/or K-wire guide with such a maximum thickness provides for alow-profile drill and/or K-wire guide that does not protrude or does notprotrude significantly beyond the surfaces of the bone plate. Dependingon the dimensions of the apertures in the bone plate, the maximumthicknesses of embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide can be lessthan, equal to, or greater than the maximum diameters thereof. Giventhat bone plates often include apertures having maximum depths less thanmaximum diameters thereof, embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guidecan likewise have maximum thicknesses less than maximum diametersthereof to provide for low profiles.

When used as a drill guide, the drill and/or K-wire guide can facilitateuse of the locking fasteners (such as locking screws) on a bone plate byfacilitating use of a drill to create a hole in bone that aids inproperly orienting the locking screw inserted into the hole relative tothe bone plate. Furthermore, unlike permanent K-wire holes in a plate,the drill and/or K-wire guide can be removed from the bone plate. Anadditional advantage of the drill and/or K-wire guide being removable isthat the surgeon can insert K-wire through the hole or guide of thedrill and/or K-wire guide into the bone to indicate the trajectory ofthe screw that will replace such K-wire, which is not possible whenusing the permanent K-wire hole or guide elsewhere along the plate.

Embodiments of the drill and/or K-wire guide can be pressure-fit ormechanically engaged to the apertures formed in the bone plate tofacilitate attachment. The pressure-fit attachment can be facilitated byan interference fit with the apertures formed in the bone plate. Toprovide for the interference fit, the drill and/or K-wire guide can beslightly oversized for receipt in the apertures formed in the boneplate, or the apertures formed in the bone plate can be slightlyundersized for receipt of the drill and/or K-guide therein.

Furthermore, to provide for the interference fit, the drill and/orK-wire guide can have a substantially smooth outer surface, or caninclude surface protuberances/roughenings such as catches, nubs,ratchets, etc. on the outer surface. The apertures formed in the boneplate can be substantially smooth, or can include surfaceprotuberances/roughenings such as catches, nubs, ratchets, etc. In someinstances, the outer surface of the drill and/or K-wire guide can engagecomplimentary or non-complimentary surface protuberances/rougheningsprovided in the apertures formed in the bone plate. When attached to thebone plate via the pressure-fit attachment, the drill and/or K-wireguide can be pressed into one of the apertures formed in the bone plate.

To facilitate mechanical engagement, the drill and/or K-wire guide caninclude threads on the cylindrical outer surface thereof to engagecomplimentary threads provided in an aperture in the bone plate. Suchmechanical engagement can be effected by rotating the drill and/orK-wire guide into one of the apertures formed in the bone plate. Whenthe drill and/or K-wire guide includes threads on the cylindrical outersurface, the drill and/or K-wire guide can include an additional featureor features to engage the tip of a screwdriver for easy insertion intoand removal from the aperture in the bone plate. The additionalscrewdriver-engagement feature or features may not be necessary if thedrill and/or K-wire guide is made of absorbable material or biomaterialwhich can remain in position after surgery and/or be drilled throughwith a drill bit.

A preferred embodiment of the drill and/or K-wire guide of the presentinvention is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1A-3B. Thedrill and/or K-wire guide 10 is provided for receipt in an apertureformed in a bone plate 30 (FIGS. 2A-3B), and the drill and/or K-wireguide 10 can include the above-discussed features that are compatiblewith one another. As depicted in FIGS. 1A-1C, the drill and/or K-wireguide 10 is generally formed as a cylinder with a cylindrical outersurface 12. The drill and/or K-wire guide 10 has a maximum diameter 14,a central drill or K-wire receiving aperture 16, a top surface 20 at afirst end of the drill and/or K-wire guide, a bottom surface 22 at asecond end of the drill and/or K-wire guide, and a maximum thickness 24(perpendicular to the maximum diameter 14) between the top surface 20and the bottom surface 22. The drill or K-wire receiving aperture 16 canbe cylindrical, and the thickness 24 can generally correspond to or beless than the thickness of a bone plate 30 depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3. Asdiscussed above, the maximum diameter 14 of the drill and/or K-wireguide 10 can be less than, equal to, or greater than the maximumthickness 24.

The cylindrical outer surface 12 may be smooth, includeprotuberances/roughenings, or include threads. These engagement featuresfacilitate attachment of the drill and/or K-wire guides 10 to the boneplate 30 via securing the drill and/or K-wire guide 10 within apertures32 formed in the bone plate 30. When smooth or including theprotuberances/roughenings, the cylindrical outer surface 12 can beconfigured for pressure-fit attachment into an aperture in the boneplate 30 using the above-discussed features. Furthermore, to facilitatemechanical engagement, the threads formed on the cylindrical outersurface 12 can be used to engage complimentary threads provided in anaperture in the bone plate 30. Additionally, the drill and/or K-wireguide 10 can include a screw-driver-engagement feature 26 to facilitateengagement with a tip of a screw driver (not shown), illustrated here asa recessed cross, for insertion into or removal from apertures 32 in thebone plate 30. If the screw-driver-engagement feature 26 is notprovided, the aperture 16 opens through an opening the top surface 20and the bottom surface 22, and if the screw-driver-engagement feature 26is provided, the aperture 16 opens through an opening formed in therecess of the screw-driver-engagement feature 26 and the bottom surface22.

FIGS. 2A and 2B depict an exploded view of three (3) of the devices 10positioned for insertion into the apertures 32 of the bone plate 30. Asdepicted in FIG. 2A, each of apertures 32 include an interior sidewall34 and a shoulder 36. When the devices 10 are inserted into theapertures 32, the cylindrical outer surfaces 12 interface with thesidewalls 34, and the bottom surface 22 interfaces with the shoulders36. The sidewalls 34 can be smooth, include complimentaryprotuberances/roughenings, or include threads for engaging complimentaryfeatures provided on the cylindrical outer surface 12. The threadsprovided on the sidewalls 34 are also provided to engage threads on headportions of locking screws (not shown). Furthermore, a K-wire 40 isdepicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B as being arranged for insertion into andthrough the aperture 16 in the center of one of the drill and/or K-wireguide 10.

The apertures 32 have maximum diameters and maximum depths perpendicularto the maximum diameters. As depicted in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the maximumdiameters of the apertures 32 are greater than the maximum depths of theapertures 32. As such, the maximum diameter 14 can also greater than themaximum thickness 24 of the drill and/or K-wire guide 10, and themaximum diameter 14 and the maximum thickness 24 can be sized tocorrespond to the maximum diameters and maximum depths of the apertures32. To provide for the above-discussed low profile thereof, the maximumthickness 14 of the drill and/or K-wire guide 10 is less than, equal to,or slightly greater than maximum depths of the apertures 32. As such,the drill and/or K-wire guide 10 can be received in the apertures suchthat the drill and/or K-wire guide does not protrude or does notprotrude significantly beyond upper and lower surfaces of the bone plate30.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depict the drill and/or K-wire guide 10 assembled to thebone plate 30 via receipt in the aperture 32. The bone plate 30 isintended for fracture fixation and repair. The pre-assembly of the drilland/or K-wire guides 10 to the bone plate 30 prior to surgery serves tolimit interference of soft tissue including, but not limited to, tendonsand ligaments during implantation of the bone plate 30.

The K-wire 40 is depicted in FIGS. 3A and 3B as being inserted throughthe aperture 16 of one of the devices 10 provided in one of theapertures 32. The orientation of the K-wire 40 in the aperture 16corresponds to a trajectory/orientation of the locking screw ultimatelyreceived in the corresponding aperture 32. During implantation of thebone plate 30, the K-wire 40 can thus be used to permit positioning andrepositioning of the bone plate 30 to chose a proper placement of thebone plate 30 so that the locking screw ultimately received in theaperture 32 is properly oriented with respect to bone. A drill (notshown) during implantation of the bone plate 30, with or without use ofthe K-wire 40, can be inserted through the aperture 16 to drill a holeinto bone to also provide for proper orientation of the locking screwultimately received in the aperture 32. Furthermore, if the drill and/orK-wire guides 10 10 are made of an absorbable material or biomaterialwhich can remain in position after surgery, a drill (not shown) can beused to drill through the drill and/or K-wire guide 10 10 into boneduring placement of the bone plate 30 to facilitate receipt of thelocking screws in drilled apertures (not shown) through the drill and/orK-wire guide 10 10 and into bone.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled inthe art from consideration of the specification and practice of theinvention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification andexamples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spiritof the invention being indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A drill and/or K-wire guide for receipt in anaperture formed in a bone plate, the drill and/or K-wire guidecomprising: a first end, an opposite second end, an annular outersurface extending between the first end and the second end, a maximumdiameter, a maximum thickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, afirst opening at the first end, a second opening at the second end, andan aperture extending between the first opening and the second opening;wherein the aperture formed in the drill and/or K-wire guide isconfigured for receipt of at least one of a drill and a K-wiretherethrough, and wherein the drill and/or K-wire guide is configuredfor receipt in the aperture formed in the bone plate, the apertureformed in the bone plate having a maximum diameter and a maximumthickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, the maximum diameter ofthe drill and/or K-wire guide corresponding to the maximum diameter ofthe aperture formed in the bone plate, and the maximum thickness of thedrill and/or K-wire guide being less than, equal to, or slightly greaterthan maximum depth of the aperture formed in the bone plate to provide alow profile for the drill and/or K-wire guide.
 2. The drill and/orK-wire guide of claim 1, further comprising threads provided on theannular outer surface for engaging complimentary threads provided in theaperture formed in the bone plate to facilitate attachment of the drilland/or K-wire guide to the bone plate.
 3. The drill and/or K-wire guideof claim 1, wherein the annular outer surface includes a surfaceprotuberance and/or a surface roughening that provides for aninterference fit with the aperture formed in the bone plate tofacilitate attachment of the drill and/or K-wire guide to the boneplate.
 4. The drill and/or K-wire guide of claim 1, wherein, tofacilitate attachment of the drill and/or K-wire guide to the boneplate, one of the annular outer surface is slightly oversized forreceipt in the aperture formed in the bone plate to provide for aninterference fit therebetween, and the aperture formed in the bone plateis slightly undersized for receiving the drill and/or K-wire guidetherein to provide for an interference fit therebetween.
 5. The drilland/or K-wire guide of claim 1, wherein the annular outer surface is atleast one of substantially cylindrical and frusto-conical.
 6. The drilland/or K-wire guide of claim 1, further comprising a first end surfaceand a tool-engaging recess, the first end surface being provided at thefirst end, the tool-engaging recess being formed in the first endsurface, and the first opening communicating with a portion of thetool-engaging recess.
 7. The drill and/or K-wire guide of claim 6,further comprising a second end surface provided at the second end, thesecond opening being formed in the second end surface.
 8. A combinationof a bone plate and a drill and/or K-wire guide, the combinationcomprising: a first end, an opposite second end, an annular outersurface extending between the first end and the second end, a maximumdiameter, a maximum thickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, afirst opening at the first end, a second opening at the second end, andan aperture extending between the first opening and the second opening;and a bone plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, and anaperture formed in the bone plate that extends between the upper surfaceand the lower surface; wherein the aperture formed in the drill and/orK-wire guide is configured for receipt of at least one of a drill and aK-wire therethrough, and wherein the drill and/or K-wire guide isconfigured for receipt in the aperture formed in the bone plate, theaperture formed in the bone plate having a maximum diameter and amaximum thickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, the maximumdiameter of the drill and/or K-wire guide corresponding to the maximumdiameter of the aperture formed in the bone plate, and the maximumthickness of the drill and/or K-wire guide being less than, equal to, orslightly greater than maximum depth of the aperture formed in the boneplate to provide a low profile for the drill and/or K-wire guide.
 9. Thecombination of claim 8, further comprising threads provided on theannular outer surface and complimentary threads provided in the apertureformed in the bone plate, the threads and the complimentary threadsengageable to one another to facilitate attachment of the drill and/orK-wire guide to the bone plate.
 10. The combination of claim 8, whereinthe annular outer surface includes a surface protuberance and/or asurface roughening that provides for an interference fit with theaperture formed in the bone plate to facilitate attachment of the drilland/or K-wire guide to the bone plate.
 11. The combination of claim 8,wherein, to facilitate attachment of the drill and/or K-wire guide tothe bone plate, one of the annular outer surface is slightly oversizedfor receipt in the aperture formed in the bone plate to provide for aninterference fit therebetween, and the aperture formed in the bone plateis slightly undersized for receiving the drill and/or K-wire guidetherein to provide for an interference fit therebetween.
 12. Thecombination of claim 8, wherein the annular outer surface is at leastone of substantially cylindrical and frusto-conical.
 13. The combinationof claim 8, further comprising a first end surface and a tool-engagingrecess, the first end surface being provided at the first end, thetool-engaging recess being formed in the first end surface, and thefirst opening communicating with a portion of the tool-engaging recess.14. The combination of claim 13, further comprising a second end surfaceprovided at the second end, the second opening being formed in thesecond end surface.
 15. A combination of a bone plate and a drill and/orK-wire guide, the combination comprising: a first end, an oppositesecond end, an annular outer surface extending between the first end andthe second end, a maximum diameter, a maximum thickness perpendicular tothe maximum diameter, a first engagement feature provided on the annularouter surface, a first opening at the first end, a second opening at thesecond end, and an aperture extending between the first opening and thesecond opening; and a bone plate having an upper surface, a lowersurface, an aperture formed in the bone plate that extends between theupper surface and the lower surface, and a second engagement featureprovided in the aperture formed in the bone plate; wherein the firstengagement feature and the second engagement feature are configured forengagement to one another; wherein the aperture formed in the drilland/or K-wire guide is configured for receipt of at least one of a drilland a K-wire therethrough, and wherein the drill and/or K-wire guide isconfigured for receipt in the aperture formed in the bone plate, theaperture formed in the bone plate having a maximum diameter and amaximum thickness perpendicular to the maximum diameter, the maximumdiameter of the drill and/or K-wire guide corresponding to the maximumdiameter of the aperture formed in the bone plate, and the maximumthickness of the drill and/or K-wire guide being less than, equal to, orslightly greater than maximum depth of the aperture formed in the boneplate to provide a low profile for the drill and/or K-wire guide. 16.The combination of claim 15, wherein the first engagement feature isthreads provided on the annular outer surface, and the second engagementfeature is complimentary threads provided in the aperture formed in thebone plate, the threads and the complimentary threads engageable to oneanother to facilitate attachment of the drill and/or K-wire guide to thebone plate.
 17. The combination of claim 15, wherein the firstengagement feature is a surface protuberance and/or a surfaceroughening, and the second engagement feature is a complimentary surfaceprotuberance and/or a complimentary surface roughening that provides foran interference fit with the aperture formed in the bone plate tofacilitate attachment of the drill and/or K-wire guide to the boneplate.
 18. The combination of claim 15, wherein the annular outersurface is at least one of substantially cylindrical and frusto-conical.19. The combination of claim 15, further comprising a first end surfaceand a tool-engaging recess, the first end surface being provided at thefirst end, the tool-engaging recess being formed in the first endsurface, and the first opening communicating with a portion of thetool-engaging recess.
 20. The combination of claim 19, furthercomprising a second end surface provided at the second end, the secondopening being formed in the second end surface.